Archdeacon and Vicar to left, Area Dean to right.
Churchwardens to left, Vicar in centre, Area Dean to right.
Vicar ringing bell as his symbolic first act.
Vicar greeting the Mayor at the post-service reception.
The following is a report on the service through which our new Vicar took up his post.
A packed church witnessed the Revd. Philip Smith being instituted, inducted and installed as Vicar during the evening of Monday 14th September. The service and ceremony was conducted by the Archdeacon of Middlesex, the Venerable Stephan Welch and the Area Dean of Hounslow, the Revd. Richard Frank. The congregation included The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Nisar Malik, other local dignitaries, and a number of members of Revd. Smith's former parish of Aldborough with Boroughbridge and Roecliff in Yorkshire, in addition to many of his new flock.
Bedfont being a ‘royal parish’ the service started with the reading of the Letter Patent by the representative of the Lord Chancellor. This was followed by Revd. Smith making the Declaration of Assent, and the Oaths of Allegiance to the Queen and Canonical Obedience to the Bishop of London.
During the year since the previous Vicar, Revd. Geoff Price, left to take up new duties in Oxfordshire, St. Mary's has been blessed to have much of its worship led by the Revd. John Congdon, a retired priest who was previously Vicar of St. John's, Isleworth, and a Chaplain at West Middlesex University Hospital.
Some photographs from the evening are shown below:
Archdeacon and Vicar to left, Area Dean to right.
Churchwardens to left, Vicar in centre, Area Dean to right.
Vicar ringing bell as his symbolic first act.
Vicar greeting the Mayor at the post-service reception.